Eric Dusel and Katie Sholler wanted a downtown wedding to give guests from around the country a taste of Greenville's history. / MYKAL McELDOWNEY/Staff

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Chances are you’ve seen a bride and groom photographed by the spray of the Reedy River. You might have walked by a wedding in the open air of Wyche Pavilion or jogged past a garden ceremony in the shadow of Mary’s Cottage with Falls Park unfurling in a lush roll of green.

Downtown Greenville isn’t just known for its restaurants and street festivals anymore. With a host of hotels, including one under renovation, as well as a long list of venues that fit most any theme, it’s become the most sought-after destination for couples getting married in the area.

About 80 percent of the weddings Samantha Rambo coordinates are held here, partly because of that textile mill, horse and carriage, classic Southern flavor downtown seems to perfectly envelop, says Rambo of B&R Events.

The other part is for the convenience and all the vendors, from caterers to photographers to florists, brides need laid out in a compact grid. Out-of-town guests can walk from place to place with no need for rental cars. There are places to shop, side trips to the park, an early morning visit to the farmer’s market.

It’s a place couples can proudly show off, Rambo says.

But the popularity also means a downtown Greenville wedding can come at a premium, and brides who want the location are having to make concessions.

While weddings nationwide have taken a dip in the uncertain economy, the market is still strong, with the average U.S. wedding costing $25,630 in 2011, down from more than $28,000 in 2008, according to The Wedding Report, which publishes industry statistics annually.

In Greenville, couples on average spend between $17,800 and $29,700. Factor in a wedding downtown, where the venues and hotels are more expensive, and that number can get as high as $40,000, Rambo says.

“I tell them to keep certain things in mind. For instance, parking’s not as easy downtown. Certain things will be a bit more expensive downtown,” she says. “There’s going to be a trade off.”

Some brides are booking two years out for a Saturday wedding at Zen, according to Nancy Henderson, the West End venue’s sales manager.

And at Wyche Pavilion — easily one of the most popular venues downtown — it’s common to see as many as four weddings a weekend within the walls that once held a carriage factory’s paint shop, says Kristina Murphy, director of catering for Larkin’s Restaurant.